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BAROQUE PERFORMANCE PRACTICES Kelly Tyma Husic 353H

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BAROQUE PERFORMANCE PRACTICES Kelly Tyma Husic 353H BAROQUE PERFORMANCE PRACTICES by Kelly Tyma . Husic 353H . TABLE OF CONTENTS ORNAMENTATION 1 ORNAMENTS Appoggiatura 5 Acciaccatura . 10 Trill ............ 10 Mordent .. 12 Turn . ................................................. 13 TEMPO ... ... ...... 14 RHYTHM . Inequality ............. 16 Dotting .............................. 17 PHRASING . ................ 18 ARTICULATION ....... 19 DYNAMICS ..... 19 NOTES ... ... ............ 21 BIBLIOGRAPHY ... ... ................... 22 . Baroque music has been so neglected that no original tradition as to its performance has been passed down through the centuries. We must therefore try to acquire as close a resemblance as we can under modern conditions with modern notation and improved instruments. The Baroque ideal did not consist of a faithful adherence to a carefully notated text. Composers depended upon the individuality of the performer to fill out the implications of a sketchily notated text. Rigid interpretations simply do not exist; however, there are outer boundaries. There have been treatises written by Baroque composers concerning Baroque performance practices to which we can refer, but many times obvious points to the Baroque musician were left out--points not obvious to us today. Robert Donington feels that it is of utmost importance to realize that . strong feelings and playing are often appropriate in Baroque music. J. J. Quantz states that "the composer and he who performs the music must alike have a feeling soul and one capable of being moved." 1 C.P.E. Bach asks how a musician can possibly move others unless he himself is moved. There are however many different expressions of musical feelings, and one must recognize the national differences in temperament especially between the two leading styles of Baroque music: the Italian and the French. Quantz suggests that Italian music is less restrained than any other; whereas, French music is almost too restrained. There is much Italian influence in Baroque music. The French rapidly assimilated the Italian ornaments but left little room for free ornamentation. The Germans were influenced both by Italian and French music. One needs to study Couperin's ornamentation technique to really understand what J.S. Bach wanted. C.P.E. Bach also drew on both styles, yet . his treatises give us no general uniformity to follow. 2 Our first problem of Baroque interpretation is that there are . differences in notation and convention. Many of the signs used in TIaroque texts are very misleading. Certain ornaments may have a completely different meaning for us today than the meaning that the composer had intended. l-Iany times ornaments not specified in the text were required and were automatically incorporated by the Baroque performer. Such things as the use of trills at cadence points and the adding of ornamental figuration on da capo repeats were taken for granted. Our modern editions are full of edited pages. The urtext many times had only the bare structural notes and very few expression marks present so as to keep the melody apparent. This allowed the performer to rely less on the text and more on the style thereby permitting the interpretation to be flexible. An exception to this is found in J.S. Bach's urtexts which contain . ornaments that have been written out. Hany performers did not follow his suggestions, including Bach. lie made his own alterations each time he per- formed his music so as to remain in the Baroque tradition of spontaneity in performance. Donington instructs us to be our own editors; each edition is simply one man's interpretation. According to Donington there exist five principles of Baroque em- bellishment: the principles of necessity, economy, uniformity, variety, and suitability. The principle of necessity: Embellishments are obligatory. They are a necessity not a luxury. The princi pie of economy: One must choose the correct ornament in its proper context. Too much embellishment will only obscure the melody. The French incorporated many ornaments into the music; thus, there is less need for additional ornamentation. The Italians on the other hand incorporated very few embellishments in their music. Leopold Mozart advises us . against adding too much embellishment to an ensemble piece of two or more instruments playing one melody line; we should perform the work exactly as the 3 composer has written it. Donington suggests that one first study the tech- . niques of ornamentation in French music before attempting to play Italian music. The important t~ing to remember is that sufficiency of ornaments in one context may be excessive in a second context and deficient in a third. The principle of uniformity: Quantz states that imitative passages and entries that are closely connected should carry the same embellishments. Other ornaments may be substituted as the piece proceeds as long as a reasonable congruity is maintained. He warns us against confusing sequences with imitative passages, One should avoid repetition of embellishments for sequences or else the result is monotony. J.S. Bach will at times indicate different signs for subsequent imitative passages. This is his customary casualness in the use of contradictory and inconsistent signs that many of his contemporaries also employed. Unfortunately for us the Baroque composer trusted the performer to . properly interpret his works. The principle of variety: Uniformity and variety go hand in hand. In a strict fugue there must be uniformity in ornamentation. However, in free imitation if the first entry is not embellished the following one is also not embellished. If the entries appear later in the work, embe11ish- ment is to be employed for variety. If there is no imitation the performer has greater flexibility; yet, one must never break the contin~ity, and each neW embellishment employed must bear an obvious relationship to the embellishment that preceded it. C.P.E. Bach advocated ornamenting da capo sections of a1lerro tempos, but he felt that it was much abused. If everything is varied in the da capo section then the piece takes on an entirely different character. Donington states that where the principles of uniformity and variety conflict one snou1d give weight to uniformity. The principle of suitability: The presence of a sign calling for an ornament indicates neither that the performer is obliged . to introduce one nor does it prevent him from using another ornament. TI1e absence of a sign for an ornament does not prevent one from being added but does 4 not excuse the performer from an obligatory one. Signs are guidelines; however, . one must ultimately guided by taste, context, and suitability since different ornaments can have different effects on raw material. How do we recognize suitability? The situation where we have no choice are cadential trills. Suitability in flexible situations is difficult to prescribe. Donington tells us to generally use short appoggia~uras with short notes and long appoggiaturas with long notes. C.P.E. Bach has laid down for us some guidelines. He states that it is necessary to determine the harmonic content of composittons so that ornaments may be properly executed. All ornaments bear a proportionate relationship to the length of the main note and the tempo and expression of the music. The more notes contained in an ornament the longer the main note must be whether the length of the main note is determined by the tempo or by the length of the main note itself. He cautions us against hurried executions whicll cause a blurring of the melody and against prolonged executions which ruin the brillance of an ornament. Ornaments bring out tenderness, sadness, or gaiety in music. Brillant embellish- ments would certainly be inappropriate for a tender passage. Ornaments generally adapt themselves to the key signatures. There seems to be no: rule as to when to use chromatic and diatonic ornaments. C.P.E. Bach advises us to let our ear be the ultimate judge in this respect. There are three functions of ornaments: first, to join and enliven notes (melodic ornaments); second, to emphasize and accentuate notes (rhythmic ornaments); and third, to increase expressiveness (harmonic ornaments). Melodic ornaments are inclined to be smooth; seldom are they conspicuously accented. They occur on or between the beat and have various lengths. Rhythmic ornaments are explosive, conspicuously accented, and on the beat. The short appoggiatura, . double disjunct appoggiatura, and slide serve a rhythmic function. Harmonic ornaments are expressively overshadowing, delay the main note, are stressed and 5 . accented, are not explosive, and are on the beat. The long appoggiatura serves a harmonic function. Appoggiaturas make transitions from one note to another. Quantz feels 2 that a melody without an appoggiatura would "often sound very meager and plain". TIle ear wearies of persistent consonances and longs for dissonance. According to Quantz this is the function of an appoggiatura. Donington refers to them as leaning notes and states that all appoggiaturas are played accented and on the beat therefore robbing the main note of a portion of its value. Ornaments that are performed off' the beat (Le., tak~ their value from the preceding note) are not true appoggiaturas. He justifies his statement by explaining that appoggia- turas serve as discords, and in order for them to sound as such they must be struck on the beat. In this way they fulfill a harmonic function as well as a melodic function. Quantz explains that a brief silence before the appoggiatura . is often expressive especially if the two notes are the same pitch. The appoggiatura should be louder than the main note 1:0which it resolves and should be smoothly slurred to the main note. If time permits a swell in intensity is advised. There exist ascending appoggiaturas which begin on the note below the main note (Fig. 1a) and descending appoggiaturas that begin on the note above the main note (Fig. 1b). Leopold Mozart explains that ascending appoggiatura ~e F, Ib is not as natural as the descending.
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